Does anyone else have the pleasure...?

xtina11179

Does anyone else have to make meals for someone who doesn't care about what they eat? I am one of those people. My problem is, I find myself licking my fingers, trying this or trying that....adding on calories that I don't even think about!!

Do you have any tricks to keep yourself from absent-minded noshing?? It's sabotaging me!! :embarassed:

questionablemethods

So, if that person doesn't care about what they eat, then why are the meals for them any different than the ones you make for yourself? :happy:

dragonfly__

my family eats what I cook or they can make it themselves. #1 rule in my kitchen... I am not a short order cook!

Elokyn

I cook without recipes so it's definately hard to cook and not nibble here or there, but with my bf I've found if he wants a steak and macaroni and cheese and texas toast for dinner, I'll dirty just one extra pan and have fish or chicken in mine with a piece of texas toast or I'll make the 2% fat shells and cheese. It's definately a pain at times but we gotta stay commited

PLUMSGRL

Try cooking in larger batches and the freezing or refridgerating the servings you need. Easy to do on "days off".
soups, stews, chicken, and fish all work well then zap in microwave. cuts down on time and snacking. also you could try jalapenno pepper juice on your fingers, just don't touch your face. wearing gloves might remind you, too...
good luck!

bksteve26

CHEW GUM! This will save you so much you have no idea. Of course I would suggest cooking healthy for your partner first, but if he/she is too picky, like my ex, just chew gum. Get something super minty or fruity...pop the piece right before you cook, and I promise you won't be licking your fingers or trying anything. Its a life saver!

aippolito1

If I'm making dinner for my boyfriend and myself and he doesn't like something I'm putting in mine, I'll just substitute it or make his a little different...such as, add cheese to his but omit it in mine. It's taken me a long time (I started in January and this has only started in the last month or so) to get to the point where I don't "try" his. It's all about will power. Keep exercising it. Most of the time, though, I'll make my bf eat whatever I'm having (I don't eat "diety" foods that he really has to worry about it. And yes, I make him eat his vegetables).

xTattooedDollx

I do, but they now eat what I eat. If they don't like of then they can starve.

delilahthegoddess

So, if that person doesn't care about what they eat, then why are the meals for them any different than the ones you make for yourself? :happy:

VERY GOOD POINT

lutzsher

I totally agree with Dragonfly_ . . . I am not a short order cook either, if people don't want to eat what Im cooking they can make it themselves!
Thankfully my husband knows better than to complain, even if I can tell he isn't that enthusiastic as he knows that it will be nourishing and healthy at least.

LuckyLeprechaun

me too!

mamaturner

So, if that person doesn't care about what they eat, then why are the meals for them any different than the ones you make for yourself? :happy:

I'm with you! I do sometimes make seperate dishes for my husband, but it's typically when it's anything to do with asian food, lol. Other than that I tell him, just b/c your skinny doesn't mean your healthy, and it may be low cal, but your portion sizes can be 1 1/2 -2 times and you'll be fine.

As for the tasting the food, I'm a chef by trade and obviously you wanna make sure it tastes how you want it, and I've had similar issues. It's all about the self control, ya figure you need to check a sauce or soup, you only need a very small amount, if anything you've already worked that off with moving about a hot kitchen. Just keep it to a minimum and I think you'll be just fine! I wish you much luck!

bobspdx

My boyfriend will usually eat what I eat because I don't eat a lot of diet type foods, I just cook in a lighter style (Cooking Light is awesome!). If he doesn't like it then he knows he has to fend for himself. I also will tweak his meal a tiny bit. For example, I love steamed veggies but he likes his a little fattier so I will add cheese or butter to his veggies and not to mine. This has been working well so far.

LittleSpy

So, if that person doesn't care about what they eat, then why are the meals for them any different than the ones you make for yourself? :happy:

That's been my attitude... and my fiance has lost 25 pounds because of it (he had about 40 to lose when I started cooking healthier last Sept). :laugh:

I'm not a personal chef. If you don't like what I cook, I don't have any problem with you making your own food.
Sometimes he'll eat outrageous portions or put extra cheese or sauce on something. But I make tasty food, so he WANTS to eat it. Sometimes I have to push for him to eat the green veggies though. I use the "I love you so much -- I want you to be alive for a long time!" trick to accomplish the veggie pushing.
Moral of the story is healthy food doesn't have to be boring food. I've learned how to cook so much more delicious food than I've ever cooked before since I've been on this journey.

godblessourhome

Does anyone else have to make meals for someone who doesn't care about what they eat? I am one of those people. My problem is, I find myself licking my fingers, trying this or trying that....adding on calories that I don't even think about!!

i do. i work with homebound clients, and many of them don't care what they eat. they are just thankful to have any sort of food, but i still want it to taste good for them. a dip here, a lick there, a spoonful... it can be hard to add that in to your food diary. at the end of the day, you can add in a miscellaneous amount of calories (like 50) for unnamed 'cheats'.
dawn

LittleSpy

i do. i work with homebound clients, and many of them don't care what they eat. they are just thankful to have any sort of food, but i still want it to taste good for them. a dip here, a lick there, a spoonful... it can be hard to add that in to your food diary. at the end of the day, you can add in a miscellaneous amount of calories (like 50) for unnamed 'cheats'.
dawn

Just wanted to say thanks for bringing another perspective to this when the rest of us assumed she was talking about a family member who was making a stink about eating healthy foods.

xtina11179

I am in fact talking about my boyfriend, but Dawn does bring up an excellent point. There are other reasons to be cooking for others.

By saying "someone who doesn't care about what they eat", I mean he eats CRAP! And portions are out of control. But he is the only one working right now since we have moved from NY to CO, so I feel obligated to do something for him. He doesn't eat veggies but I just saw a recipe yesterday for some mashed cauilflower/potato recipe that I want to try on him! *sneaky, sneaky*

The other problem is, we are living with his sister right now who also eats crap, but different crap. It's very difficult to accomodate 2 different tastes, as well as trying to make healthy choices for myself. I can't wait until we have our own place and I can have more of an influence on his eating habits.

Koshie

"so I feel obligated to do something for him.

The other problem is, we are living with his sister right now who also eats crap, but different crap. It's very difficult to accomodate 2 different tastes"


Sounds like your a caring person but you have to stop feeling obligated to these people and cooking three different meals. I live with my boyfriend and we have vastly different diets but we eat the same dinner. If there is something he doesnt eat then he doesnt eat it but its on the table for him to try it. So Cook a meal and Thats that. If they dont like it, they can cook for themselves. You are to busy during the day to make three seprate meals for different eaters.

kalebsmama07

i do the same but now ive come to realize ethier he makes his own food or when i cook he eats what i make and how i make it so theres no slip ups for me!

needamulligan

I cook without recipes so it's definately hard to cook and not nibble here or there, but with my bf I've found if he wants a steak and macaroni and cheese and texas toast for dinner, I'll dirty just one extra pan and have fish or chicken in mine with a piece of texas toast or I'll make the 2% fat shells and cheese. It's definately a pain at times but we gotta stay commited

This is, sort of, what happens in my house. Generally, we have a protein, a salad and vegetables served family style. There is, usually enough variety that everyone can serve themselves what they like and as much as they like. Sometimes a different, additional protein must be offered. Generally and most recently, the food is healthy, nutritious, and tasty. What more could anyone want?

sroseber

my husband is actually home more during the week than I am so he ends up doing most of the cooking but I tell him this is what I'm having with this veggie and cook it this way (so that he doesn't add a lot of oil or butter, etc.) and tell him if he and the kids don't want that then he can fix something else for them. Usually we all end up eating the same stuff, sometimes he doesn't eat the veggies or he'll fix an additional different veggie that he and/or the kids will eat better. And sometimes he'll make mashed potatoes or mac & cheese or rolls for them to have in addition to what I am having but I don't eat it. I too don't eat a lot of diety foods, I try to pick out meals with my family and fix things we all like but prepare them in a healthier way. I make my kids eat the main dish (fish or chicken etc.) and at least 3 bites of a veggie (they hate all veggies but raw carrots but I'm trying to introduce them to new foods) and at least 3 bites of whatever the other side is (beans, rice, whole grain pasta, potatoes, etc.) They sometimes still don't like stuff but they are getting used to the 3 bite rule and I think my little one especially is starting to find some foods that she may actually like!

Try finding healthier ways to fix the foods you both like and also whoever said the gum do that too! Minty gum will make everything taste bad if you do try it so you won't keep trying it. Also, I used to lick my fingers a lot just because there was stuff on them, keep a towel handy to wipe your hands off instead of licking them. That seems to help too.

Margarette

Try snacking on something healthy while you cook. An apple, a cheese stick, celery and peanut butter, etc. Doing this will prevent you from trying the food. i make a different dinner many nights for my fiance and this seems to help. Not to mention I have him taste it instead of me. If they give you a hard time about it just say you want to make sure they like it! It is very difficult to cook well and not taste the food. Although if they give you a hard time about it while you are cooking for them... slap them.. hard lol.

simona1972

My whole family is like that! When I was off work these past few weeks, I made the most calorie dense meals for them. For me...I'd make my own food. I dont get tempted anymore. I used to but then Id track those calories too. I think seeing just how much those little nibbles added up really helped keep me on track.

Now that Im back at work, everyone's on their own so by the time I get home, everyone wouldve eaten dinner already and there's never any leftovers so I dont have to worry.

If you dont want to make 2 meals - then cook for them what you'll eat. If they'll eat anything then they'll eat healthy too. Or they'll cook for themselves.